**********************************************************
The nomination period for Village Representative By-elections was gazetted today (December 4).
Twenty Village Representative vacancies will be open for nominations from next Thursday (December 10) until December 23.
The by-elections will cover Resident Representatives for 10 Existing Villages, namely Ma Tseuk Leng Ha, Wo Keng Shan, Nam Wai, Tsam Chuk Wan, Tai Lam Liu, Kei Ling Ha Lo Wai, Ping Chau Sha Tau, A Shan, San Tau Kok, and Tsuen Tsz Wai; and Indigenous Inhabitant Representatives for 10 other Indigenous Villages, namely Tam Shui Hang, Wa Shan Tsuen, Ha Wo Che, Tai Lam Liu, Ping Chau Chau Tau, To Kwa Peng, Lung Mei, Tai Om, Ma Wan Main Street and Shui Tsan Tin Tsuen.
To be eligible for the Indigenous Inhabitant Representative By-election, a candidate must be an indigenous inhabitant as well as an elector of the indigenous village and ordinarily reside in Hong Kong.
For the Resident Representative By-election, a candidate must be a resident of the village and have lived there for six years immediately preceding the nomination. He or she must also be an elector of the village.
All candidates of both categories must be permanent Hong Kong residents aged 21 or above. No one can stand as a candidate in more than one village. Each candidate must be nominated by at least five electors from that village. Each elector may nominate only one candidate for his or her village.
Nomination forms will be available at the Public Enquiry Service Centres of the New Territories District Offices, the Home Affairs Department and the Village Representative Elections website ( www.had.gov.hk/vre ).
Nomination forms must be submitted in person to the Returning Officer, that is, the District Officer of the respective village, by 5pm on December 23.
A spokesman for the Home Affairs Department said that if there was more than one validly nominated candidate for the same village, a poll would be held for that village on January 17, 2010 (Sunday). Eligible voters will receive a polling notice which specifies the date, time and place of the poll.
For enquiries, please call 2152 1521.
Ends/Friday, December 4, 2009
Issued at HKT 10:03
NNNN